|
A
B C D
E F
G H I
J K L M
N O
P Q R
S T
U V W
X Y Z
A
Administrative contact
The contact responsible for any administrative issues pertaining to the
domain-name account. Any administrative changes to the domain must be approved
by the administrative contact. The registrar will use this contact for any
non-technical questions it may have regarding the domain name.
.aero
Sponsored top-level domain. Reserved for members of the aviation community.
Back to top
B
Billing contact
The contact responsible for all billing information relating to the domain
name. This person will also receive any invoices, charges or billing questions
related to the domain name.
.biz
Top-level domain reserved for the business community.
Browser
A program that provides a way to read hypertext and thus look at and interact
with (i.e. "browse") the information on the World Wide Web. Technically, a Web
browser is a client program that uses the Hypertext Transfer
Protocol (HTTP) to make requests of Web servers throughout the Internet.
The most frequently used Web browsers are Microsoft's Internet Explorer and
Netscape's Navigator.
Back to top
C
.com
Generic top-level domain. The most commonly used TLD on the Web.
.coop
Restricted top-level domain. Reserved for cooperative businesses.
Country-code top-level domain (ccTLD)
Country-code top-level domains are assigned to all countries and their
dependencies. ccTLDs include .us, .uk., .fr, .de, ca, au, .jp, .br, and .sa.
Country-code top-level domains are generally available exclusively for
residents of the country to which the domain refers, but specific registration
criteria are defined by each country individually.
Back to top
D
DNS
Domain Name System. The domain name system enables each machine connected on
the Internet to be recognized by a domain name. Every computer on the Internet
has a unique IP (Internet protocol) address which consists of a string of
numbers. DNS translates a domain name — such as www.cnn.com — into the Internet
Protocol (IP) numbers to find the correct Web site — in this case CNN's home
page. Thus, DNS enables the user to type in the domain name, rather than the IP
address.
Domain name
A domain name is a Web address. The domain name is mapped to an IP address
(which represents a physical point on the Internet). When someone types a
domain name into a Web browser's address field, the requested Web page will
open.
A domain name consists of a top-level and a second-level domain. The top-level
domain (TLD) is the domain name extension located to the right of the dot (" .
"). Examples of top-level domains are .com, .org, ,net., and .gov. Located to
the left of the dot (" . "), the second-level domain name (SLD) is the
"readable" part of the address. The SLD usually refers to the organization or
entity behind the Internet address.
Back to top
E
.edu
Generic, restricted top-level domain. Available exclusively to degree-granting
educational institutions of higher education that are accredited by one of the
six U.S. regional accrediting agencies.
Extension
Top-level domain.
Back to top
F
FTP
File Transfer Protocol. A standard Internet protocol, FTP is the simplest way
to exchange files between computers on the Internet. FTP is commonly used to
transfer Web page files from their creator to the computer that acts as their
server for everyone on the Internet. As well, FTP is often used to download
programs and other files to your computer from other servers. FTP transfers are
made via an FTP software program such as WS_FTP or CuteFTP.
Fully-qualified domain name
A fully-qualified domain name (FQDN) is that portion of an Internet Uniform
Resource Locator (URL) that fully identifies the server program that an
Internet request is addressed to. The FQDN includes the top-level domain name,
the second-level domain name and any other levels. An FQDN should be sufficient
to determine a unique Internet address for any host on the Internet. The prefix
"http://" added to the fully-qualified domain name completes the URL.
Back to top
G
Generic top-level domain (gTLD)
A top-level domain that is available to registrants around the world. gTLDs
include .aero, .biz, .com, .info, .museum, .name, .net, .org, and .ws.
.gov
Restricted, generic top-level domain. Available exclusively for the
United States Government.
Back to top
H
Host server
See name server
HTML
Hypertext Markup Language. The markup language that constitutes the set of
markup symbols or codes inserted in a file intended for display on a World Wide
Web browser page. The markup tells the Web browser how to display a Web page's
words and images for the user. Each individual markup code is referred to as an
element — or a tag. The current version of HTML is HTML 4.0. However, the
major browsers — Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Netscape's Navigator
— implement some features differently and provide non-standard extensions.
HTTP
Hypertext Transfer Protocol. The protocol used for moving hypertext files
across the Internet. Requires an HTTP client program on one end, and an HTTP
server program on the other end. HTTP is the most important protocol used on
the World Wide Web (WWW). The latest version of HTTP is HTTP 1.1.
Back to top
I
ICANN
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. An international
non-profit corporation that was formed to assume responsibility for the IP
address space allocation, protocol parameter assignment, domain name system
management, and root server system management functions previously performed
under U.S. Government contract by Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA)
and other entities.
.info
Generic top-level domain. Unrestricted, but generally used for informative
purposes.
InterNIC
A service established to provide the public information regarding Internet
domain name registration services. InterNIC is a registered service mark of the
U.S. Department of Commerce. It is licensed to the Internet Corporation for
Assigned Names and Numbers, which operates the www.internic.net
site.
IP address
The 32-bit numeric identification number that refers to a specific machine on
the Internet.
ISP
Internet service provider. An ISP is a company that provides individuals and
other companies access to the Internet and other related services such as Web
site building and virtual hosting.
Back to top
M
.mil
Generic top-level domain operated exclusively by the United States Military.
.museum
Generic top-level domain reserved for museums.
Back to top
N
.name
Generic top-level domain reserved exclusively for individuals.
Name server
The computer that organizes domain names to correspond to their IP addresses.
Also called a host.
.net
Generic top-level domain. Unrestricted, but primarily used by Internet service
providers (ISPs).
Back to top
O
.org
Generic top-level domain. Unrestricted, but mainly used by nonprofit
organizations.
Back to top
P
Parking a domain
When a registered domain is parked, the domain is reserved but remains
inactive. A temporary Web page is displayed until the site is unparked — or
activated. Domain name parking is often used by registrants who do not yet have
a hosting provider or who haven't yet built a site for the domain.
.pro
Soon-to-be-activated generic top-level domain. Once established, the domain
will be available exclusively for certified professionals, such as accountants,
lawyers and physicians.
Back to top
R
Registrant
The entity, organization or individual that registers a domain name. Once the
domain name is registered, the registrant can use the domain name for the
period of time the domain is registered.
Registrar
A registrar is an entity that registers domain names with the registry on
behalf of registrants. The registrar is the entity which submits and maintains
the registrants domain name with the registry database. Registrants are
required to use a registrar to register a domain name.
Registration fee
The charge for registering a domain name. The registration fee covers the cost
of processing the initial registration and maintaining the domain name record.
Most top-level domain names can be registered for up to 10 years.
Registry
A central registry responsible for delegating Internet addresses, such as
domain names, and keeping a record of those addresses and the information
associated with their individual top-level domains.
Renewal of domain name
To continue the registration of the domain name after the original expiration
date.
Restricted top-level domain name (rTLD)
A top-level domain, such as .biz, .gov, .museum, .name, and .pro, that is only
available to registrants who meet certain criteria.
Root
The top of the domain name system hierarchy. Often referred to as the "dot."
Back to top
S
Second-level domain (SLD)
In the domain name system (DNS), the next-highest level of the hierarchy
underneath the top-level domain. Located immediately to the left of the dot ("
. "), the second-level domain is the "readable" part of the domain name. The
second-level domain often refers to the organization or entity associated with
the IP address. For example, in: yourdomain.com, "yourdomain" is a second-level
domain.
Server
In general, a server is a computer or software package that provides services
to other computer programs in the same or other computers. The term can refer
to a particular piece of software, such as a World Wide Web server, or to the
machine on which the software is running. A single server machine can have
several different server software packages running on it, thus providing many
different servers to clients on the network.
Back to top
T
Technical contact
The contact responsible for providing technical domain name information, such
as the name server. The registrar will contact the technical
contact with any questions of a technical nature.
Third-level domain
In the domain name system (DNS), third level domains are the next-highest level
of the hierarchy underneath the second level domains. In a domain name, it is
that portion of the domain name that appears two segments to the left of the
top-level domain. For example, the "sterling" in "sterling.va.us." In the case
of the domain name "www.yourdomain.net", the third level domain is "www."
Top-level domain (TLD)
In the domain name system (DNS), the top-level domain (TLD) is the highest
level of the hierarchy after the root. In a domain name, the TLD is portion of
the domain name that appears to the extreme right. Examples are .biz, .com,
.gov, .mil, and .org.
The top-level domains have certain guidelines attached, but are for the most
part available to any registrant, anywhere in the world. Exceptions are the
restricted TLDs (rTLDs), which include .aero, .mil, .museum, and .pro, that
require the registrant to represent a certain type of entity, or to belong to a
certain community. Where appropriate, a top-level domain name can be of
geographic significance and hence only available to registrants in a certain
locale defined by the TLD. These are called country-code TLDs (ccTLDs).
Transfer
Domain names can be sold to another individual or organization or the name of a
company might change. Most registrars require a process by which permission
from the old owner to hand over control to the new owner is authorized. The
procedure for change of ownership is known as a transfer.
Back to top
U
Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy
ICANN's Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) defines how
disputes over domain-name registrations are resolved in the global top-level
domains (.biz, .com, .info, .name, .name, .net, .org, .pro, and .ws, as well as
.aero, .coop, and .museum). The UDRP does not apply to country-code top-level
domains, except in a few cases where the local administrator has decided to
adopt it.
URL
Uniform Resource Locator. A URL is the address to a destination on the Internet
or intranet. The URL consists of a communications protocol followed by a colon
and two forward slashes and the destination location. Examples of URLs are:
-
https://www.cnn.com
-
https://www.espn.go.com
.us
Country-code top-level domain. Available exclusively for residents of the
United States and its territories.
Back to top
V
Virtual host
Also called an IPP (Internet presence provider). In order to establish a
full-time presence on the Internet, one needs to have computers that are
connected continuously to the Internet. Special hardware and software are
needed, as well as constant maintenance of a full-time high-speed connection to
the Internet. Virtual hosting is the provision of Web server hosting services
so that a company (or individual) doesn't have to purchase and maintain its own
Web server and connections to the Internet. Because the electronic frontage (or
Web site) actually resides on the IPP's computers, and not that of the entity,
it is virtual. Hence the name.
Back to top
W
Web page
A block of information running on a world-wide server process, identified by a
specific URL. Such pages are generally written in HTML. It
is, however, possible for a server to create a dynamic Web page via special
scripts.
Web site
A collection of Web files on a particular subject that includes a beginning
file called a home page. A Web site is identified by its second-level
domain.
WhoIs
A function that allows the visitor to look up the contact details of a domain
name.
.ws
Generic top-level domain name. Stands for "Web site."
Back to top
|
